April 11, 2016 -- Paul O'Shea of Wellington, FL, and longtime mount Primo de Revel earned top honors in the $25,000 Nutrena Spring I Grand Prix at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center (PBIEC) with a time of 38.402 seconds, besting a class of 34 entries, while Kelsey Thatcher of Bluffdale, UT, and Everything finished in second place, crossing the timers in 38.971 seconds. Diego Vivero of Wellington, FL, and Bijoux collected third place with a time of 39.097 seconds. Competition at PBIEC resumes Wednesday, April 13, with the start of ESP Spring II.

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Paul O'Shea and Primo de Revel (Mancini Photos)

O'Shea, who competes for Ireland internationally, and Primo de Revel were the second pair to qualify for the jump-off following the first round of competition, tackling the course set by Richard Jeffery (GBR) with ease. O'Shea has maintained the ride on the 2001 Belgian Warmblood gelding (Quinault x Orfa van de Elshoeve) for nearly nine years and has built a solid relationship with the talented gelding owned by Michael Hayden.

"He's just a great horse. We got him when he was six and he's nearly fifteen now. We have a good relationship. I know him and he knows me. He's one of the easiest horses in the world," he elaborated. "He knows his job and knows what to do. He was like that from the very beginning too. I didn't teach him that. He's just always been very easy."

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Particularly impressed with the course design by Jeffery this week, O'Shea felt the track was a great test for the pair and Primo de Revel handled the first grand prix of the ESP Spring Series with confidence.

"I thought it was a lovely course today. I thought that in the other classes this week, Richard [Jeffery] built some great courses," said O'Shea. "On Saturday, in the 1.35m class, there was a triple combination and the course really rode like a grand prix, except at a smaller height and I thought it was very educational for the horses and great for the riders to keep us thinking."

Paul O'Shea in the presentation ceremony for the $25,000 Nutrena Spring I Grand Prix with ringmaster Christian Craig. (Mancini Photos)

"Sometimes in the smaller classes the courses can get very basic and I think it's important for the horses to learn a lot during their time in the ring and his courses yesterday worked out really well. I had a young horse in the class and while we didn't go clear, he learned a lot," continued O'Shea regarding the course design throughout the week.

O'Shea made quick work of the short course, besting the twelve combinations that moved forward to the second round of competition. O'Shea and Primo de Revel, were nearly beaten by Thatcher, who finished just five tenths of a second off the winning pace. O'Shea also piloted Primo Calypso to a sixth place finish in the class.

"There was a lot of fast riders after me and my idea was to just be as neat as I could in the lines. He's naturally quick, but I didn't try to do anything special. I think we all did the same numbers but it came down to who could be the most efficient," noted O'Shea.

"He's going to jump ESP Spring III here and then I'm going to take him to Devon in May. He won the class there two years ago and that's a big thing for us. I'd like to do Lake Placid and we've won there a few times too," commented O'Shea when discussing the pair's future plans this year.

Jumper Highlights Kelsey Thatcher of Bluffdale, UT, and Beja, owned by Pony Lane Farm, won the $5,000 1.35m Classic, finishing the short course with a time of 37.122 seconds. Pablo Mejia of Frenchtown, NJ, and Reglissetop earned second place with a time of 37.433 seconds, while Kevin Babington of Gwynedd Valley, PA, and Super Chilled, rounded out the top three, crossing through the timers in 37.639 seconds.

The $1,500 NAL Child/Adult Jumper Classic presented by The Tackeria was won by Kelly Bauenschmidt of Bratenahl, OH, and her own Belle Bleu S, finishing with a time of 29.877 seconds in the jump-off. Ava Sterns of Chilmark, MA, and Summer, owned by Whish LLC, earned second place with a time of 30.919 seconds while Danielle Stacy of Ipswich, MA, and Tlaloca Z, owned by Frederico de Michelis, collected third place, crossing the timers in 31.063 seconds.

Hunter & Equitation HighlightsGeoffrey Hesslink of Shelbourne, VT, piloted Rookie, owned by Belhaven Stables LLC, to the win in the $5,000 USHJA Hunter Classic with a total score of 175.5. The pair had a spectacular first round, earning a 87 from the judging panel, leading the class through both rounds of competition.

Geoffrey Hesslink and Rookie (Mancini Photos)

Victoria Colvin of Loxahatchee, FL, and With Me, owned by Victoria Colvin & Partners LLC, collected second place with a total score of 175, finishing behind Hesslink and Rookie. Michael Zukerman of Huntington, NY, and Denmark, owned by Patricia Adikes-Hill, earned third place honors with a total score of 173.

Coco Fath of Fairfield, CT, piloted Akinda owned by Hillside Farm LLC, to a win in the $1,000 Junior/Amateur Owner Hunter Classic 3'3"/3'6" presented by Sweet Oak Farm, with a total score of 167. Martha Ingram of Nashville, TN, and Lyons Creek Bellini owned by John & Stephanie Ingram, earned second place honors with a total score of 161.5. Laura Sexton, of Greenwich, CT, and her own Set to Music finished in third place with a score of 160.

Jennifer Hannan of Wakefield, RI, and Patricia Fulchino's Best Regards took home top honors in the $1,000 Pre-Green Incentive, while Rachel Kennedy of Brookeville, MD, and Gala, owned by Bridget Hallman & Merrylegs South, finished in second place. Holly Orlando of Wellington, FL, and Salt, also owned by Bridget Hallman & Merrylegs South, earned third place respectively.

Adding another top finish to her results at ESP Spring I, Coco Fath and Big Star, owned by HC Sport Horses, collected first place in the ASPCA Maclay, while Emma Wujek of Grosse Point Farms, MI, and Isle of Wight, owned by Castlewood Farm Inc., earned second place. Ashley Hartman of Pipersville, PA, and Upside, owned by Kennedy McCaulley finished in third.

Competition will resume at PBIEC on Wednesday, April 13, with the start of ESP Spring II, which will conclude on Sunday, April 17, and feature the $10,000 Open Stakes Class presented by Equiline and the $25,000 Noble Outfitters Grand Prix. For more information on the ESP Spring Series and to see a full list of results please visit www.pbiec.com.

David Blake continued his dominance at Tryon International Equestrian Center (TIEC) this past week, picking up another grand prix win aboard Baron in the $25,000 Odom Engineering, PLLC Grand Prix on Saturday, May 21.